Let's rattle the stars
by katzozzz
Summary: After the encounter with Elena, Aelin and Manon are not brought back to the battle, but instead Middle-Earth. Here they will find new friends and allies and join a group of nine other men. This new world is in desperate need of all help it could get, and so the two Queens will rattle the stars for them. (ToG book-verse and LotR movie-verse)
1. Chapter 1

**Note**

 **Please Read**

Hello, dear readers. This is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction ever, so don't judge me too hard. I tried to get the characters and their personalities right, but if you notice anything that's wrong, please tell me. I'll try my best updating as often as I can, but cannot promise anything. I hope you will enjoy reading this story.

 **Summary** : After the encounter with Elena, Aelin and Manon are not brought back to the battle, but instead Middle-Earth. Here they will find new friends and allies and join a group of nine other men. This new world is in desperate need of all help it could get, and so the two Queens will rattle the stars for them. (ToG book-verse and LotR movie-verse)

 **Disclaimers** : I own nothing that you recognize. All characters, with possibly some exceptions, belong to the amazing Sarah J. Maas, J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson.

Chapter 1.

Elena stroked her cheek. Then the ancient queen and mists were gone.  
Sunlight flooded them, blinding Aelin and Manon so violently that they hissed and slammed into each other. But they were not greeted by the sounds of war. Not by the clash of steel or the brine of the sea. But a forest. It was dark, almost night you could say. The only sound heard was the rustling of the leaves around them.  
"What. The. Hell," Aelin's voice came.  
"This is nowhere near Eyllwe for sure," came Manon's reply. "Well, we can't just stand here so what do we do?"  
"We walk."  
Suddenly, both females stopped. Someone was approaching.  
"Shift!" Manon urged as she retracted her iron nails and teeth. They did not need unwanted attention.  
In a flash of light, the pointy ears and fangs disappeared, leaving a normal human female to stand beside the witch. As Manon heard the slight rustle behind them she turned on her heels while drawing Wind-Cleaver, and Aelin followed a second later, Goldryn in hand. It appeared, a man tried to sneak up on them. Well, now he, in turn, had two swords at his throat. The females looked him over, thinking about what to do. Finally, Aelin decided to speak.  
"Who are you? And what is this place? Speak! Or I'll cut your throat."  
The man, to his credit, did not show any emotion at all, except maybe a little shock, and lifted his hands in a sign of peace.  
"I mean you no harm. I am a Ranger of the North. In these parts, I am called Strider. As for where you are, this is the borders of the town Bree."  
"Bree? I've never heard of such a town. All right, we still need to get to civilization, and apparently, this Bree is the best option for now. Could you point the direction there?"  
"Yes. I can. I'm actually on my own way there if you follow me."  
"We will," came Manon's cold voice. "But do not think we trust you. If you as much breathe wrong, you're a dead man. Understand?"  
As she was saying this Manon walked up behind the man, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pressing a knife to his throat.  
"Now lead on. And don't try anything stupid."  
Manon nodded to Aelin and they began walking. After a while, the walls of a small town came into view.  
"Now what?" Said Aelin.  
"I intend on going in. You can follow me or stay here. And please take that knife away from my throat," came Strider's reply.  
"Only once we're close enough that people can see us."  
A "Fine" and a sigh was the only reply they received.  
They came to a gate and knocked. Manon took her knife and pointed it at the Ranger's back. An old man opened a small window and asked in a grumpy voice:  
"What do ya want?"  
"We want to stay at the Inn of the Prancing Pony. Please let us in."  
"Alright, alright."  
They walked in silence as the females took in the town. It was small and dirty. Drunk men in every corner. Aelin made a face of disgust. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. They needed to spend the night somewhere. They had to pay for it. And right now, there wasn't a single coin in her pockets.  
"We need money," she turned to Strider. "How much will we need if we want to spend the night at the Inn?"  
Strider turned to them with a slightly annoyed expression and shoved a bag of gold into Manon's hand. They had to give the man credit for not freaking out yet.  
"Once we get to the Inn I will leave you and not bother you again. Is that fine with you two?" Asked Strider.  
"Hmm. Maybe. If you give us any trouble, you're dead. Burnt to ashes so that no one will ever know your fate. Is _that_ fine with _you_?" Aelin retorted.  
Strider only snorted in response as he led them to the Inn. Once they entered the Prancing Pony Manon hid her knife and pushed Strider away.  
"You're free to go. Remeber my words to you," was Aelin's way of saying goodbye. The females turned and walked up to the man who obviously was the owner of the place.  
"Hello. We need a place where to spend the night. Do you have any rooms available?"  
"Hello, my ladies. Barliman Butterbur at your service. Of course, we will have a place for you," came the reply of Butterbur. The females paid for their stay and went to get something to eat. Once they were settled, they chose a table in the corner of the Inn's common room.  
"What are we going to do?" asked Aelin quietly. "As much as I hate being stuck with you we need a plan."  
"Well, we have no idea where we are. I have a feeling that we are nowhere near where we should be. I say we track somebody who could lead to somewhere."  
"Good plan. Mine is a little bit better. We listen to the talk of the people, figure out what is going on here and where "here" is. And by the way, this Strider said he was a "Ranger of the North". As far as I know, there is no one or nothing like that in Terrasen. So, either he was lying, or his idea of "North" is quite different from mine."  
As they talked, four small people entered the Inn, completely soaked to the bone. Obviously, it had started raining. The attention of the females immediately went to them. They were not children. No, their faces showed age. And they did not look like midgets, either. But nothing special happened, so Aelin and Manon continued to listen to the talk. Not a word about Aelin Galathynius. Adarlan, Terrasen, Eyllwe, none of them even mentioned. The more they heard, the more the females became confused. a thought occurred to both of them. Could it be that they were no longer in Erilea? The longer they listened, the more it seemed like it was the truth.  
"What do we do _now_?" Aelin again asked.  
"We follow my plan."  
As soon as those words were said a voice rang clear through the Inn:  
"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins. He's right there. Frodo Baggins! He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side if you follow me."  
"Pippin!" exclaimed the one called Frodo rushing to Pippin.  
"Steady on!" Pippin replied as he turned to Frodo. The last ended up tripping and falling to the ground. Everything that happened next, seemed to be going in slow motion. The hand of Frodo shot up as something small and golden flew up in the air. A ring. A perfect golden ring. That landed just as perfectly on Frodo's finger. As soon as that happened, Frodo disappeared.  
Everyone was in a state of shock. That's when Manon saw their chance. The man, Strider, who also was sitting in a corner slowly stood on his feet. Everyone in the Inn was so shocked they did not notice how Frodo reappeared in Strider's corner, who took the poor little being by the collar and dragged him up the stairs.  
"Now!" hissed Manon.  
The females quickly went after Strider and Frodo, just in time to follow them into a room and hide in the shadows while Strider went on scaring the wits out of poor Frodo. After a time, someone ran up to the room. The three companions of Frodo. Strider drew his sword, but once he saw his opponents he lowered it.  
"You have a stout heart, little hobbit, but that will not save you. You can no longer wait for the Wizard, Frodo. They are coming."  
Now Manon and Aelin were evenly confused. Hobbit? Wizard? And who the hell were "they"?

Aragorn and the hobbits made different precautions and went to an empty room. Little did they know that all the time, two female shadows had been following them.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again! As I promised, I'll try to post as often as I can. I'm already on my third chapter and am planning on posting it tomorrow or the day after. And please, please, please leave reviews! =)

" _Elivish_ "

' _Thinking_ '

"Normal talk"

*Translation*

Enjoy!

 **Chapter 2.**

"What are they?" came Frodo's quiet voice as shrieks of the Nazgul were heard.  
Strider went on explaining who they were, scaring the little hobbit even more. The man wanted to accompany the hobbits to their destiny, but they did not trust him. He seemed like he was hiding something... But they had no choice but to follow Strider.  
The next morning they bought a pony, which Sam decided to call Bill and went out after Strider into the wild. And all the time two females had been shadowing them.

They had been walking for several days now. Aragorn could see that the hobbits did not trust him entirely. Not that it mattered, he was still leading them to safety. But sometimes it felt as if someone was spying on them. Trailing them. He had not heard or seen anybody behind them, and yet... Something was wrong. The day since he had met the two women, something had felt very wrong. The way they acted. The way they looked. And how they managed to get past his guard! No one had done that before but some elves.  
Right now they were walking through the marshes. The hobbits constantly complaining about the stench and everything else that was surrounding them. By sunset, they would reach the ruins of the great watchtower of Amon Sûl. It would be a good place to rest.  
Once they got to Weathertop, Aragorn threw each hobbit a dagger to keep close if there was some danger. He told them to rest and left to have a look around.

Aelin and Manon had been following Strider and the hobbits for several days now. It seemed no one had noticed them. It was a little hard and very uncomfortable to stalk them through the marshes. It reminded Aelin of the mirror they thought was the Lock. How had the battle been? How were her friends? How was Rowan? Was anyone of them even alive? She dismissed these thoughts quickly. It would do her no good if she worried herself sick about them. Right now she and the witch had hidden not far from where Strider left the hobbits. She watched as three of the hobbits lit a fire while Frodo was sleeping. Bad move. They were on a hillside. The fire would be seen from miles away. They were laughing and talking until Frodo woke up. He quickly shushed them putting out the fire. But it was already too late. Shrieks were heard and the hobbits drew their small daggers. They ran up to the top and Aelin turned to Manon:  
"Should we follow them? I don't know why, but I feel they will need our aid."  
"Hmm. You're probably right... Let's go up and see what happens."  
"If it comes to a fight, then we use swords only. We don't want them to know who we are."  
"Right."

Aelin and Manon quickly took what they needed and headed up. They hid behind some fallen rocks and pillars and watched. The hobbits had huddled together, looking around nervously. Suddenly five persons came up to the top. They were completely clad in black, and a chill went down Aelin's spine. It felt as if her heart had been crushed by an ice-cold hand. It was as if she was frozen in place, unable to move.  
The one called Sam ran forward, only to be cast aside and knocked out. Merry and Pippin, as she remembered them, tried to protect Frodo, but they were thrown out of the way too. Poor little Frodo dropped his sword and backed away, tripping and falling to the ground. Aelin watched as he took out the same ring and put it on his finger. As soon as he did that, he disappeared. All the attackers turned to the empty space sharply. One of them reached out with its hand but drew it back and stabbed empty space with his sword. A scream was heard. Not so empty then. That was when Aelin snapped out of the frozen state. With a cry, she drew Goldryn and drove the wraith back as Frodo reappeared with a moan. Manon came out after her, Wind-Cleaver in hand. Together they fought back the wraiths when Strider came back, with a torch and a sword helping the females with the battle. Soon the wraiths ran away shrieking in anger as the ranger set their cloaks on fire. One was about to sneak up on Strider from behind but was drawn away by Aelin.  
"Strider!" called Sam.  
"He has been stabbed by a Morgul blade. This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine."  
"Elvish? What the hell?" came a female voice from behind.  
Strider turned sharply and his eyes widened in shock as he realized who had helped him in fighting the wraiths.  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Stalking you, of course."  
"Get away from here. Now." Strider said in a dangerous voice as he drew his sword.  
"Hey, wait. We help you fight these things and this is how you thank us? And by the looks of your companion, he needs help so we should get going." Aelin shot back.  
"We? Why should I trust you? I do not even know your names!"  
"Elentiya"  
"Manon Blackbeak."  
"As for why I said WE, me and my companion must get to somewhere that was not Bree. You seemed like the kind of people we needed to track. And also. If you leave without us, we can easily track you again. So, I think you have no choice but to accept this."  
"What if you want to kill us? What if you want to hurt Frodo?" the one apparently called Pippin said.  
"If I or Manon wanted to hurt you in any way, all of you would already be dead. And you too Strider. I have been trained to be the best assassin since I was 8 years old. Don't worry, I won't use my knowledge on you. Actually, as much as I hate to say it, Manon and I are lost. We don't know where we are and how to get to any place we know. And we have questions that need answering. We thought you could lead us somewhere."  
"Fine. We need to get Frodo to Lord Elrond in Rivendell. Maybe he will have the answers you so desire."  
"Good! Then we have an agreement. Let's go. Your companion does not look really healthy."  
Strider hastily picked him up and started down the hill.

They ran for several days, sometimes Strider, sometimes Aelin, sometimes Bill carrying the hobbit. This night Frodo seemed to be faring much worse. He was pale as death and was constantly moaning and gasping for breath.  
"Will he die?" asked a sad and worried Pippin.  
"He's passing into the shadow world. He'll soon be a wraith like them." Strider answered.  
A shriek was heard in the distance and Frodo gasped as if in pain.  
"Sam!" called Strider. "Do you know the Athelas plant?"  
"Athelas?"  
"Kingsfoil," explained Strider.  
"Kingsfoil? Aye, it's a weed!" said Sam.  
"It may help slow the poison. Hurry!"  
The two ran off into the woods, searching for the Athelas plant. Soon enough they returned, but not alone. A white horse rode into the small clearing, practically shining with white light. The rider quickly dismounted hurrying towards Frodo.  
" _Frodo, im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan nan galad_. *Frodo, I'm Arwen. I've come to help you. Hear my voice, come back to the light.*"  
"Who is she?" one of the hobbits asked.  
"She's an elf!" exclaimed Sam.

 _'So that's what an elf looks like. Quite like the fae. Maybe it is this place's version of the fae...'_ thought Aelin.

Strider began tending to the wound on Frodo's shoulder.  
"He is fading!" the elf said. "He's not going to last! We must get him to my father!"  
Strider picked him up and placed him on the white horse.  
"I've been searching for you for two days. There are five wraiths behind you, where are the other four, I do not know."  
" _Dartho guin Beriain. Rych le ad tolthathon._ *Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you." said Strider in the foreign language.  
" _Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im._ *I will take him. I am the swifter rider*"  
" _Andelu i ven._ *The road is too dangerous*"  
" _Frodo fîr. Ae athradon i hîr, tûr gwaith nîn beriatha hon._ *Frodo dies. If I get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.*"  
" _Be iest lîn._ *As you wish*" Strider's face fell a little. "Ride hard, Arwen. Don't look back!"  
" _Noro lim, Asfaloth! Noro lim!_ "  
With that, the elf rode off.  
"What is she doing?! There are still wraiths out there!" Sam shouted in anger.  
"She's saving him, you thick-headed hobbit!" Manon shot back at him.

Aragorn was worried. Arwen had ridden off, and they had no idea where the wraiths were. And these two females. Elentiya and Manon Blackbeak. They were driving him mad! It looked as if they knew absolutely nothing about the inhabitants and places of Middle-Earth! But how could it be? And how did they manage to trail them? Probably, in the same way that they managed to get past his own guard. And every time he looked at the females, he got a feeling, that they were not entirely human. Especially the white-headed one, Manon she was called. Soon they would reach Rivendell and Aragorn hoped he would finally be free of their company. Lord Elrond would hopefully provide them with the answers they needed, and maybe Aragorn himself would get some information on who they are.

Aelin was bored. This walking was extremely boring and too slow for her liking. The hobbits tired so fast! Even though she was not in her fae form, she was still pretty fast and could go on long without needing rest. She very much hoped they would reach Rivendell soon. Rivendell... She did not remember hearing that name before... And then there were the elves... At first, she had thought the female was a fae, but then she did not have fangs or other fae features. Only the pointy ears.  
They had crossed the river this morning. Its name Bruinen was also unfamiliar to Aelin. Strider said they would reach Rivendell by sunset. That should be now. Just as she thought this, a city came into view. Aelin stopped in her tracks, her eyes going wide with wonder. This was one of the most beautiful cities she had ever seen! It looked so peaceful and calm!  
"Rivendell! This is the House of Elrond, the Last Homely House. Here you will find peace and rest. And you, my ladies, I hope will find the answers you seek." Strider said as he turned to Aelin and Manon. Aelin turned to the witch and found her in a similar state as herself. 

' _Probably also shocked._ ' she thought

Slowly they walked down to the city. Everywhere Aelin looked there was peace. If she had been in her fae form she would have had the chance to take in even more of her surroundings. Sadly, she did not have that possibility. They came to the gates and an elf greeted them.  
"Welcome to Rivendell, the House of Elrond. Your companion came here a couple of days ago. Right now he is resting. I will lead you to your rooms. If you want to speak to Lord Elrond, he won't be available for some time."  
"Thank you, Lindir. Show them their rooms. I will manage on my own."  
"Yes, of course. Follow me!" the elf Lindir gestured to the females and hobbits. They entered Rivendell.

Well?... Thoughts? Comments? Please Review!


	3. Chapter 3

_**Here is the third chapter! Hope you enjoy it! Please, please review!**_

 **Chapter 3.**

Aelin loved this place. She had been given a big room, her alone and _no_ Manon, with a lot of clothes, hairbrushes and other things a female needs. But most importantly, a bath! She had spent there at least a few hours. When she got out, she searched the dresser for something proper. Everything there was of a soft material and was very beautiful. In the end, Aelin chose a light blue silken dress and a pair of white shoes. She combed her hair and looked in a mirror.  
"Beautiful as always!" she told herself. "Let's go look for that elf Lord Elrond-what's-his-name. Oh, and I'll need the witch, right, can't forget her."

Aelin walked out of her chambers and started down the hall. When she came to the door of Manon's room she knocked and shouted:

"Hey! Blackbeak! Open the door!"

When she received no reply she shouted again, a little louder this time:

"Open! If you don't want me to burn down your door of course."

That seemed to work since a minute later the door was opened by a very irritated and annoyed Manon. She now wore a black tunic and pants and had re-braided her hair.

"What do you want?"

"Well I thought about going to Lord Elrond and ask him some questions, what about you?"

"Fine, I'm coming. Do you know where we can find him?"

"No, I suppose we'll have to ask."

They left Manon's room and walked down the corridor. They discussed what they would reveal to that Lord Elrond and decided to tell him everything excluding the fact that Aelin and Manon were queens and the fact that Aelin was "promised" to the gods. On their way, Aelin noticed the same female that took Frodo here, Arwen was her name if she remembered right. She would be a perfect person to ask about Lord Elrond.

"I'll do the talking," Aelin whispered to the witch. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, my ladies!" Arwen stood from where she was reading a book. "Is there anything that troubles you?"

"Well, you see... I and my companion have some questions that need answering and we were told Lord Elrond could help us. Thing is, we don't know where to find him," Aelin told the elleth.

"Ah, I see. I can lead you to him if you wish. After all, he is my father," Arwen said.

Aelin and Manon followed Arwen for quite some time. At first, the air was filled with a slightly tense silence, but Aelin decided it was annoying so she started a small talk with the elleth.

"So, how did you manage to deal with all those Ringwraiths? No offense, but they seemed quite dangerous and you were very much outnumbered."

"No offense taken, but you see, I was able to outrun them, Asfaloth is a mighty steed, there are very few horses faster than him. When I came to the river Bruinen I made the Ringwraiths follow me into the water and then enchanted the river. It washed the Ringwraiths away, killing their horses and making their riders flee back to their master in spirit-form."

Aelin had no idea what the witch was thinking, but she herself was quite shocked. Apparently, Arwen was quite powerful if she could enchant the river like that. This earned her a little more respect and admiration from Aelin.

"Impressive," she told Arwen.

They walked the rest of the way in silence.  
Soon enough they came to a stop. They stood before a big wooden door, carved with beautiful images of trees and flowers. Arwen knocked on the door and said something in Elvish. The door was opened by a tall elf. While he did not look old at all, Aelin could sense that he was much older. She could feel the power radiating off him.

"Father, these are the ladies that came with Lord Aragorn. They wished to speak with you," Arwen said.

"Yes, come in. Thank you, Arwen. You may leave now," Elrond replied in a deep calm voice that spoke of authority.

Aelin and Manon stepped into the room. The door behind them closed as Arwen left. After a minute of silence, Elrond slowly turned to the females and asked:

"Well, what may your names be, and would you want to ask?"

"I am Elentiya and she is Manon. We come from a land called Erilea."

Aelin explained everything to him about the war, the Valg, the witches, the fae and Maeve, only leaving out some bits and the fact that both she and Manon were queens. She told him about her fire magic and Fae form, although she did not shift to show him. Aelin made it sound like she and the witch were some sorts of commanders and that they were the only ones who volunteered to step through the mirror. She then told him everything that happened since the moment they landed in Middle-Earth until now.

There was a long silence.

"Your tale is the most unheard of, yet I see no lie in your eyes," Elrond slowly said at last.

"Yes, I believe what the girl said is true," came another voice from a corner.

Both females instantly whirled on their feet, coming face to face with an old man in grey robes with a pointy hat.

"Who are you?" Manon snarled.

"There is no need to be hostile, I assure you," he calmly replied while Elrond watched with an amused expression. "I believe I did not introduce myself. My name is Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey. I am one of the Istari, though the people of Middle-Earth know me as a wizard."

Reluctantly Aelin and Manon let go of their weapons.

"A _wizard_ , you say? Interesting," Manon said.

"I suppose so, _witch_ " Gandalf chuckled. "Although my powers are quite not like yours."

"And what _are_ your powers like then?" Aelin interrupted.

"I _know_ and _understand_ many things. Well, I suppose I also have some tricks up my sleeve," he said with a mischievous smile.

Aelin snorted very un-ladylike in response.

"And, my current knowledge is that you two were brought here for a reason. A purpose. I do not doubt that you will return to your home, although I can assure you, it won't be before you discover the reason why you're here and fulfill your mission."

"Hmpf! Of course!" Manon exclaimed, annoyed.

They silently regarded each other for a moment before Lord Elrond spoke up:

"I suppose there is nothing more to be said about the matter. Do you have any more questions?"

"I suppose not..." Aelin said slowly, thinking. "Actually, there is one thing. Arwen said we came here with _Lord Aragorn_. I suppose she meant Strider. I never actually believed it was his true name, so this doesn't shock me, but who is he really?"

"Ah about that. Soon there will be a council with people from all countries and races of Middle-Earth. I would like for you to come there. You would get to know more about Middle-Earth and what is going on there. And, just so you know, these are dark times. I think it would be wise if we kept your story and abilities a secret."

"Alright. Since there is nothing else to talk about, I suppose we shall take our leave," Aelin tried to sound polite. "Thank you for your help Lord Elrond, Gandalf."

She bowed slightly poking the witch trying to tell her to do the same.

"Go now and take your rest. Do not let your hearts be troubled!" Elrond said as the females walked out the door.

Aelin and Manon walked a few minutes pondering on the wizard's words. What purpose? It was clear to them that there was something big going on, probably some kind of war. Maybe their purpose would be in helping these people fight in that war. Anyways, Aelin did not want to thank about that now, so she decided to break the silence:

"Well, that went better than I had imagined."

"Yes. Now we only have to wait for that council."

"Pity we can't use our abilities."

"I agree."

They walked the rest of the way not uttering a single word. They did not say anything before going separate ways into their rooms.  
Aelin sighed as she sat down on her bed.

' _Well, this could take a while. Rowan, if you dare die there before I come back I will personally bring you back from the dead so that I can kill you myself._ '

With such thoughts, Aelin lied back and soon fell asleep.

 _ **Well? Thoughts? Comments? Please review!**_

 _ **I'll try to post the next chapter tomorrow.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Hellomy dear readers! It has been very long since I posted a new chapter and I am sooooooooooooo very sorry! Please don't kill me! I was on a vacation with my family and didn't have my computer with me so I couldn't write. In the future I promise to pots more often, though I cannot promise it will be 1 chapter/week. But I'll try my best!**

 **Enjoy!**

Aelin had stayed here for four days and they had been a paradise. The days were warm and bright and Aelin finally had time to rest properly and regain her full strength. Today there would be a big feast. Frodo was finally awake and well enough to be out of bed. The council would be held tomorrow and all those who had been invited were also going be at the feast.

In an hour the feast would begin. Right now Aelin was standing in front of her closet, not sure what to wear. In the end, she decided on a pine-green dress and a pair of white shoes. She looked at the Eye of Elena hanging around her neck. She let her hair loose - she didn't want to braid it.

Aelin left her room and went down the corridor. As she walked past Manon's door she knocked asking:

"Are you planning on coming? Because I'm already on my way!"

Aelin hadn't even finished speaking as the door opened.

"Yes, I do."

Aelin looked at the witch. She had a black costume and boots as always, only now everything was cleaner, shinier. And she had a beautiful silver necklace. Manon had braided her hair to the side and tied it with the blood red piece of her former Crochan cape.

"I have to admit, you look _good_ ," Aelin said smirking.

Manon only grinned in response as the two females walked to the Hall of Fire where the feast was going to be held.

Aelin had to agree that the Hall of Fire was huge. It was filled with light and people. The wine was passed around and elves were singing beautiful songs in their language. In the middle of the Hall, there was a large table filled with all possible food imaginable. Soon guests began to pour in. There were a few men. Aelin thought they looked quite dull and boring, so she did not bother going to them and learning who they are. Though, she did notice one arrogant looking man. He was very tall and had light brown hair. He had rich clothes and Aelin saw a big, white horn hanging from his best.

' _Must be some kind of authority_ ' Aelin thought.

"I don't like the look of him," Manon whispered nodding towards the man Aelin just noticed.

"Yeah, me too."

Just then Aelin noticed a small group of elves entering the Hall. They all had blonde hair and green clothes. They looked much different than the elves of Rivendell, in truth Aelin thought that they looked more warrior-like than the peaceful and calm people of Rivendell. Then came a group of what Aelin assumed were dwarves. They were short and had very long and fluffy beards. Just looking at them, Aelin got the feeling they were a grumpy people that you didn't want to mess with.  
When the Hall finally was full the doors opened once more and in came five small hobbits. Aelin recognized the four she had traveled with, but she did not know the fifth. He looked old and was walking with the help of Frodo. Although out of all the hobbits he looked higher spirited and most excited.

The feast began. Aelin and Manon ended up sitting with the hobbits, who Aelin right then decided were her favorite race. They drank and laughed, telling each other stories. Bilbo seemed very interested in the two females and asked them many questions. He told them about his own adventure. Both the witch and Aelin were very intrigued and came to admire and respect the old hobbit for all he had done. Then he went on telling about his birthday party.

"And then I went: "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve". You should have seen the looks on their faces! It was priceless, most didn't understand a thing!" he exclaimed, making Aelin laugh and Manon chuckle softly.

"That was the absolute best compliment and insult at the same time that I have ever heard!" Aelin said.

They went on exchanging stories with each other until the very end of the feast.

Today was the council. Aelin and Manon were already in the place where it should be and had been given seats. There were few except themselves already sitting. It was that wizard Gandalf, and Strider, or Aragorn. In fact, Aelin did not care. She would get to know that soon enough. And by the way, Strider was currently sitting next to her and looked very annoyed with it. Aelin also noticed two hobbits: Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. Soon other people began pouring in. Dwarves, Elves, and Men. All of them Aelin had seen on the feast the day before. The council began. Elrond started with a long tale about the forging of the great rings of power and the consequences it led to. How the Dark Lord Sauron, who wanted nothing but death and destruction, had created the master ring, the One Ring to rule them all. He told of the war and the Last Alliance between Men and Elves. How Isildur, the son of King Elendil, cut the Ring from Saurons hand, thus winning the battle.

' _This Sauron sounds pretty much like Erawan,_ ' thought Aelin.

The tale went on, finally coming to Bilbo and how he had gotten the Ring from the creature Gollum. At that moment one of the blonde elves stood up and exclaimed that Gollum, who had been held captive by the elves of Mirkwood, had escaped. This was bad news, but the council went on. Bilbo told everyone about his party and how he left the Ring to Frodo. Then Frodo told about his journey to Rivendell. When he was done, there was a long silence before Lord Elrond spoke:

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old," sounded the deep calm voice of Elrond. "You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate–this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo," Elrond said.

Frodo slowly got up and carefully placed the Ring in the middle of the pedestal. He then hurried back to his chair and sat with a sigh. The council members immediately started whispering to each other. The man from the day before, whose name was Boromir as Aelin figured out, quietly muttered:

"So it is true..."

"The Doom of man," someone else murmured.

Then Boromir stood up.

"It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the Enemy. Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it! None of us can!" Strider interrupted.

"And what would a _ranger_ know of this matter?" Boromir spat.

"More than _you_ , apparently," said Manon accusingly, causing Boromir glare daggers in her direction.

"He is no mere Ranger!" an elf stood up with an angry look on his face. "This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

"Aragorn?" Boromir looked at the man in disbelief. "This... is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor!" the elf continued.

" _havo dad_ , Legolas. *Sit down, Legolas*" Aragorn said.

"Gondor has no King. Gondor needs no King," Boromir spat and went back to his seat with a sigh.

"Aragorn is right," Gandalf broke the silence. "We cannot use it."

"We have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed," announced Elrond.

"What are we waiting for?" Gimli grabbed his axe and went to the pedestal. "ARGH!" he cried as he brought it down on the Ring.

There was a deafening noise as the axe shattered and Gimli flew backward, landing on his back. His fellow dwarves immediately helped him up as Elrond said:

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this"

"This Ring reminds me very much of some certain Wyrdkeys... What do you think?" Aelin quietly noted to Manon.

"I agree with you," came the reply.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir said with a sigh. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!" The man tried to reason, and for once Aelin thought he had a point.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas once again stood up. "The Ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?!" Gimli leaped to his feet.

"And if we fail, what then?! What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!" Boromir argued.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli shouted. This caused a big uproar and all the members of the council began to yell and argue with each other. The only ones who decided to stay out of it were Elrond, Frodo, Aragorn, Aelin, and Manon. Just then Aelin noticed something strange. It seemed as if the Ring was whispering... Aelin decided to block it out and looked at the witch. The confused look she received was the only thing she needed to know that she was not alone in hearing things.

Suddenly Frodo stood and said loudly:

"I will take it! I will take it!"

Everybody stopped and turned their heads to Frodo in shock. He repeated, only a little bit quieter:

"I will take the Ring to Mordor! Though, I do not know the way..."

Aelin had to admire his courage. He did what she knew many men would not dare to do. She watched as Gandalf slowly walked to the small hobbit with a smile.

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," he said and stood behind the hobbit placing a hand on his shoulder.

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will," said Aragorn walking towards Frodo and kneeling in front of him. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow!" Legolas came over to stand beside Frodo.

"And my axe!" Gimli joined in, but not without exchanging dark looks with the elf.

"You carry the fates of us all little one," said Boromir approaching the hobbit slowly. "If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

At that moment, Aelin understood. This was the reason she and the witch were here. They were meant to help these people. Maybe there was something bigger behind it but at the current moment, this was their purpose. Aelin turned to Manon and knew she had the same thoughts. They nodded to each other and stood up. Aelin looked at Lord Elrond and said slowly:

"There was a reason we were brought here. You yourself said that. I think this is the reason. We are meant to help you." she turned to Frodo and smiled at him gently. "Will you take us in your company?"

Frodo smiled back at her, although a little uncertainly, and said:

"I think that we need all the help we could get. If you want to join us then I will not stop you. From what Merry and Pippin have told me of the fight at Weathertop, you are very fierce warriors."

"Fierce warriors?" Boromir snorted. "They are women! What can they do if not create lots of problems and make men's ears bleed?"

"Either of us can snap your neck right here and now before anyone could even blink," Manon said in a deadly calm voice. "You don't want to antagonize me or Aelin."

There was a tense silence which Gandalf decided to break by saying:

"Well, come over here and join us!"

Just as the two females moved over to the company, a rustle was heard behind them and Sam Gamgee appeared beside Frodo.

"Heh! Mister Frodo is not goin' anywhere without me!"

A slightly amused Elrond said to him with a smile:

"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."

One second later, two more hobbits ran to the company to stand beside their friends.

"Wait! We are coming too!"

They were, of course, Merry and Pippin.

"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry said.

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission... quest… thing." Pippin added.

"Well that rules you out, Pip" Merry teased him.

"Nine companions…" Slowly said Lord Elrond. "So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Great!" exclaimed Pippin. "Where are we going?"

 **So, what do you think? Is this good? Did I get their characters right? Please, please,**  
 **please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please leave a review! I know how you think: "Well it doesn't matter if I won't write, someone else will." Please don't think like that! That ends only with me getting no reviews at all!**

 **Untill next time,**

 **Katy.**


End file.
